My wife and some family recently made a trip from Louisville, Kentucky, to the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. We left Louisville after breakfast, around 8:00 A.M., and arrived in Cincinnati around 10:00 A.M. From Louisville, Interstate 71 leads directly into Cincinnati; a drive consisting of farmland, forests, rolling hills, and a NASCAR speedway. Traffic generally does not pick up until the intersection of Interstates 71 and 75 a few miles before reaching Florence, Kentucky. The morning was cool and overcast with the possibility of light rain looming overhead. The weather felt more like a chilly, fall morning than a comfortable, spring morning. Not exactly the weather we were expecting. As the morning progressed, though, the temperature rose slowly and steadily bringing a brief respite to our goose bumps and shivering.
Our plans for the day were to first, attend a culture festival early and then catch a Cincinnati Reds baseball game later in the day. I knew what to expect with the baseball game. There was sure to be excitement and fulfilling entertainment. But I was unsure about the festival. Would it be beneficial or would it be an over exaggeration of the cultural qualities and traditions it was seeking to portray? This tension remained until we finally arrived at the park, paid, and began surveying the setup. After walking through the first few booths and displays, I thought to myself and was convinced, “This is going to be a worthwhile experience and a good morning.”
Our plans for the day were to first, attend a culture festival early and then catch a Cincinnati Reds baseball game later in the day. I knew what to expect with the baseball game. There was sure to be excitement and fulfilling entertainment. But I was unsure about the festival. Would it be beneficial or would it be an over exaggeration of the cultural qualities and traditions it was seeking to portray? This tension remained until we finally arrived at the park, paid, and began surveying the setup. After walking through the first few booths and displays, I thought to myself and was convinced, “This is going to be a worthwhile experience and a good morning.”
The Appalachian Festival
The Appalachian Festival this year was going on its 44th occasion. It was held along the Ohio River at Coney Island, which is only about 18 minutes from Cincinnati. The downtown skyline was in view moments before we exited the highway, while making our way to the park.
Some may wonder about the connection between Cincinnati, Ohio, and an Appalachian Festival. For this to be the 44th annual festival tells of a much deeper story than simply an attempt to celebrate a not so distant and “quaint” regional neighbor. There is history here that one blog post would fail to properly and thoroughly recount. Therefore, a brief introduction to the historical situation is in line, which will probably stretch over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures taken from the event and a short video clip introducing Appalachia’s great outmigration to northern and midwestern urban centers, taken from the documentary The Appalachians.
The Appalachian Festival this year was going on its 44th occasion. It was held along the Ohio River at Coney Island, which is only about 18 minutes from Cincinnati. The downtown skyline was in view moments before we exited the highway, while making our way to the park.
Some may wonder about the connection between Cincinnati, Ohio, and an Appalachian Festival. For this to be the 44th annual festival tells of a much deeper story than simply an attempt to celebrate a not so distant and “quaint” regional neighbor. There is history here that one blog post would fail to properly and thoroughly recount. Therefore, a brief introduction to the historical situation is in line, which will probably stretch over the next couple of weeks. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures taken from the event and a short video clip introducing Appalachia’s great outmigration to northern and midwestern urban centers, taken from the documentary The Appalachians.